The present invention relates to automatic ticket dispensing equipment, and more particularly, to a passenger self-ticketing system particularly adapted for vending airline tickets based upon reservation data stored in a central host computer.
For some time, commercial airlines have stored passenger reservation data in a central host computer. Ticket issuing has required that a ticket agent interrogate the host computer from a CRT/keyboard input terminal to confirm the reservation and to thereafter receive payment. The principal drawback of this approach is that it is simply too slow, and consequently, long lines of passengers waiting to purchase their tickets are a common sight in many airline terminals.
More recently, Cubic Western Data, the assignee of the present application, has introduced a self-service passenger ticketing system to commercial airlines. That system, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,759, comprises a plurality of microprocessor controlled terminals, each of which communicates with a central credit computer, but not with a central computer storing reservation information. Each of the terminals has a credit card reader, a modem, destination selection buttons, and a printer. The issuing of a ticket by each terminal is conditional only upon the passage of status checks and the passage of a credit check. No reservation interrogation is required. The self-service passenger ticketing system of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,759 is well adapted for issuing tickets for flights in high capacity corridors, such as New York to Washington, D.C. Many commuters who travel such corridors purchase tickets shortly before their desired flights and are able to board airplanes without reservations.
Also of interest in this field are U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,633; U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,995; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,103. They disclose a variety of complex on-line data processing systems for simultaneously handling passenger reservation, ticketing and boarding functions. In general the systems disclosed in these patents include a large central processor and an addressable data store for reservation and customer account information.
It would be desirable to provide a passenger self-ticketing system for vending airline tickets based upon reservation data stored in a central host computer. Preferably such a system would incorporate a highly adaptable audio-visual interactive display system for leading the passenger through a series of steps to locate and confirm reservation data prior to printing and dispensing a ticket. Preferably the system would be credit card operated since an every increasing number of airline tickets are purchased by credit card. In addition, preferably the system would immediately report transaction data to the central host computer to thereby reduce the cost of credit card charge float.